In reply to Post #29
What a load of ********

What ever way you look at it I don't think there is a cradle on the market that is as padded as a decent mat or high sided mat, like I said many lakes have now banned cradles because there isn't much protection on the metal frame. Everyone had fish flap on them when trying to take a picture of them get dropped on the metal frame it can be deadly. Plus the actual fabric of a cradle it's no where near as padded as a decent mat. Not saying I wouldn't use one if I had to I'm just saying why I personally sold mine or the places I no that have banned them

My Cradle is fully padded so no metal that can damage a fish, it even is padded on the bottom (I had an extra mat in my old Cradle, but the Sonik one is fully padded), and when you get it done that a carp gets on the metal of your cradle you're stupid

In reply to Post #32
Which metal?

mat for me.
i use the TA one and its massive.

In reply to Post #1
Mat all day long - the TA mat is ideal.

The main aim when handling a lump on the bank is to always keep the fish as low to the ground as possible.

Big fish should always (when possible) have 2 x experienced goalkeepers each side of the fish just out of shot. Everyone turning up to photo the fish or have a look should bring their mat with them just in case it's needed to create a bigger safe zone.

Not a convert of cradles having seen fish whack the metal bars (I know not all of them have these bars) and high elevation off the ground.

Each to their own though.

In reply to Post #34
Ok so it's padded but what advantage does it have over a high sided mat?
Advantage of a mat is the fish is always lower to the ground, safer if something unexpected happens.

In reply to Post #37
I can sit with my knees under the cradle that way I don't have to bend over unnecessarily to unhook / care for a carp

And Something unexpected? well you should always be prepared for the unexpected (taking care of a carp is not that hard work), in all those years (+10) I have never seen 1 carp that jumped out my cradle, but I have seen many whose carp jumped off a standaard unhooking mat...

IMO to much metal work on a cradle so a mat with walls for me

My syndi has steep banks, if a fish flips on a flat or beanie mat there's potential for a "bouncing bomb" scenario down to the water, at least with a mat with sides those chances are a lot less.

Nash Monster Carp Coral is my mat of choice at the moment...

In reply to Post #34
All the way around the edges there might be a little padding but it's still solid if a fish hit it, no where near as much padding as a good mat/ high sided mat. If a fish hit the edges/ frame that padding wouldn't do nothing it would be like a carp landing on a concrete with a quilt on top no protection

In reply to Post #40
If a carp can hit that metal then you are stupid and better stop carp fishing.

In reply to Post #41
I didn't mean the metal itself I just meant the metal under the very small amount of padding, we have all held fish for a photo and they have flapped about a bit, like I've said lots of lakes have banned these for that exact reason and a lot of other members below clearly can see the problem obviously not just me, for some reason you can't understand what we mean

In reply to Post #42
Wonder who is the stupid one here.....

In reply to Post #43
When you find out let me no mate 🤣 I've been stupid in the past but thought I was being very straight forward with my explanation of why certain places have banned them or just my opinion on why I prefer a high sided mat or a decent padded mat

In reply to Post #42
I understand what you mean but I disagree, I've never dropped a fish from my arms on the padded metal and it will never happen with me